Now in its 16th edition, the annual World’s 50 Best Bars list is voted for by an Academy of more than 700 experts worldwide.

Handshake Speakeasy’s win marks the first time a venue from Mexico City has been crowned World’s Best Bar sponsored by Perrier, with that accolade previously going to bars from London (10), New York (3) and Barcelona (2).

Located in the Colonia Juárez neighbourhood of Mexico City, Eric van Beek’s Handshake Speakeasy is hidden behind a secret door in a dimly lit room stocked with vintage spirits, with the bar’s interiors evoking a bygone age.

Runner up this year and making its debut in the list is Lorenzo Antinori’s Italian-style venue, Bar Leone in Hong Kong, which took the award of Disaronno Highest New Entry.

While in third is last year’s winner, Sips. Simone Caporale and Marc Álvarez’s flamboyant Barcelona bar is the highest placed venue from its region, taking the award of Torres Best Bar in Europe.

In fourth is Monica Berg and Alex Kratena’s industrially attired, ingredient-forward Tayēr + Elementary in London, which has now recorded five appearances in the list and four in the top five.  In fifth is Indra Kantono’s Singapore hotel bar, Jigger & Pony, famed for its menu-zines, which appears in the list for the sixth time this year.

The top ten of The World’s 50 Best Bars has never been more geographically diverse, with nine cities contributing venues. It is completed by Line in Athens, Tres Monos in Buenos Aires – winning Scrappy’s Bitters Best Bar in South America, Alquímico in Cartagena, Zest in Seoul and 2022 winner Paradiso in tenth.

The capital of cocktail culture title is shared by London, New York and Singapore, each of which are home to four bars in the list, while all in all the 50 bars are spread around 28 cities.

This year’s list sees 16 new entries spread across Bangkok, Bogotá, Guadalajara, Hong Kong, Lima, Melbourne, Mexico City, Milan, New York, Paris, São Paulo, Singapore and Tokyo.

Special awards

Of the individual awards, Monica Berg of London’s Tayēr + Elementary has taken the Roku Industry Icon Award, Iain McPherson of Panda & Sons is named the winner of the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award, while Calliope Draper of Partake, Edmonton, is the recipient of the 50 Best Bars Roku Scholarship.

The night saw Florería Atlántico Rémy Martin Legend of the List Award – the Buenos Aires bar has appeared 11 times in the list – while the Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award went to Lyaness in London.

The winner of the Bareksten Best Bar Design Award for 2024 is Himkok in Oslo, Caretaker’s Cottage in Melbourne was named the winner of the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award, while Zest in Seoul has won the Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award.

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